The energy in the room shifted when Tim Warner, Co-founder and Chairman of de Novo Solutions, and his colleague Ian Carline took to the stage. Their talk promised to explore “Driving SME growth through technological innovation”, and they delivered something far deeper. What unfolded was a practical, honest, and forward-thinking account of how an SME can not only survive but thrive by placing cloud technology and AI at the heart of their business strategy.
This wasn’t a tech-for-tech’s-sake session. It was a compelling, lived-in story of a company walking the talk, scaling from a garage start-up to a global team of 100 in just three and a half years.
A smarter start-up
Tim began by taking us back to 2021, when de Novo was founded, not as his first foray into business but as a second chapter following the acquisition of his previous venture, Certus Solutions. That experience gave him and co-founder Mark a crucial advantage: the wisdom to build de Novo “the smart way” from day one.
Their mission? To help organisations implement and manage Oracle cloud systems in a way that delivers lasting value, not just a tick-box transformation. In Tim’s words, “We practise what we preach. Continuous innovation isn’t just what we sell, it’s how we work.”
Cloud confidence for SMEs
So, what does cloud really mean for an SME? Ian took to the stage to break it down with refreshing clarity.
“There’s no such thing as ‘the cloud’ it’s just someone else’s computer,” he joked. But the point was serious. For small businesses, adopting cloud-based services isn’t about buzzwords; it’s about buying capability, scalability, and focus. Instead of managing server farms or building complex infrastructure in-house, de Novo carefully curates cloud applications that deliver real business outcomes.
From Oracle and Microsoft to PSA, Lucid, and ServiceNow, every tech decision is intentional, interoperable, and aligned to their core purpose: delivering exceptional services to their clients.
Innovation with purpose
What set this session apart was de Novo’s unapologetically practical approach to innovation. Tim and Ian weren’t trying to wow the room with hype; they were showcasing how they’re using technology to work smarter, not harder.
Whether it’s automating timesheet systems, streamlining payroll testing with AI, or deploying chatbots to manage client requests, their mantra was clear: do more with less.
Ian put it perfectly: “We don’t just use AI because it’s fashionable. We use it to solve real problems, repetitive tasks, large data volumes, and resource gaps. That’s how we scale.”
Their investment in AI is anything but superficial. It’s embedded in their approach to automation, data validation, and cloud integration. Saving time, reducing risk, and delivering faster results for clients.
Building trusted partnerships
Another standout theme from the session was de Novo’s commitment to collaboration over competition. Most of their clients operate in non-competitive sectors, especially public services, and de Novo actively encourages knowledge-sharing between them.
“We don’t deliver services to our clients. We deliver with them,” said Ian, underscoring their belief that co-creation leads to better outcomes and stronger relationships.
Even their own proprietary tools like Odysseer, their industry-specific cloud solution, or their “Value as a Service” delivery model, are designed with scalability and client benefit in mind. The future, they argue, lies in reusable solutions that can be tailored through AI rather than built from scratch every time.
Strategic simplicity
Perhaps one of the most valuable insights came when Ian explained the importance of technology strategy for SMEs.
“Not all cloud solutions are created equal. As a small business, we can’t afford to get it wrong,” he said.
That philosophy informs every decision de Novo makes, only adopting tech that integrates seamlessly, adds measurable value, and aligns with their long-term business model. Their approach has been so effective that they’re now moving into Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), managing client systems with the same precision and passion as their own.
AI – hype vs. help
Let’s face it: AI dominated many sessions at Elite Business Live this year. But de Novo’s take on it was grounded and practical. “AI isn’t new,” Ian reminded us. “What’s changed is how accessible and useful it’s become.”
Their advice? Start by identifying what’s holding your business back. Is it a repetitive admin task? Is it a data migration headache? Is it limited resources?
“Then look at where AI can help not by replacing people but by supporting them,” Tim added. “And always keep a human in the loop.”
de Novo’s approach to AI is thoughtful, ethical, and customer-centric. They also addressed data privacy head-on, encouraging SMEs to explore private language models if sensitive data is involved and reinforcing the need for a clear governance framework.
The future is digital (like it or not)
Tim closed the session with a rallying call. “Whether we like it or not, the future is digital. The pace of change is only accelerating, and the businesses that embrace innovation will be the ones that grow.”
It’s a sentiment that landed with weight. de Novo isn’t just adopting technology. They’re using it to shape a business model that is agile, scalable, and deeply human. They’ve replaced bloated teams with smart processes, cut through digital noise with clarity, and proven that even the smallest companies can think and act big!
The audience left this session not only better informed but genuinely inspired. In a sea of tech jargon and AI hype, de Novo offered clarity, confidence, and a challenge: what could you achieve if you embraced innovation without fear?
